Deep Wound Culture - Provincial

Overview

Description

• Deep wound swabs should be submitted only for infections where anaerobic bacteria play a role (deep abscess, ulcerated lesions, necrotic lesions, soil-contaminated wounds, bite wounds)
• Collect swabs ONLY if aspirates and tissues cannot be obtained

Ordering recommendations

• Collect specimen prior to antimicrobial therapy for greatest diagnostic sensitivity.
• For closed abscesses see “Tissue(Biopsy)/Tissue aspirate/Bone Culture”.
• A deep wound collection is any specimen taken from > 2cm within the wound. If collected from less than or equal to 2 cm, please refer to Superficial wound culture.
• For suspected fungal infections, always submit aspirates or tissues and request fungal culture.
• For suspected mycobacterial infections, always submit aspirates or tissues and request mycobacteria culture.

Alias

• Closed space culture
• Wound culture

Specimen Information

Specimen types accepted

• Swab submitted in liquid Amies media (Eswab®)

Specimen collection container

• Swab submitted in liquid Amies media (Eswab®)
• Anaerobic transport system (PRAS or equivalent)

Collection procedure

• Prior to the collection of any specimen, remove all exudate, purulent material and necrotic tissue from the wound.

• Wash the wound thoroughly using normal saline. Wound base should be visible and free of exudate, pus and necrotic tissue before sampling.

• Collect from areas with viable not necrotic tissue.

• Gently rotate the swab over a 1 cm2 area of the wound for about 5 seconds, using enough pressure to express fluid from the wound.

• Specimens should be taken before antibiotic treatment.

Required volume

• 1 sterile container or Eswab® specimen

Transport and stability

• Swab specimens in Eswab® transport media can be transported at room temperature or refrigerated at 4°C

Performance

Days/times performed

• All specimens will be tested at the nearest microbiology laboratory

Maximum laboratory time

• Turnaround time for 24 - 72 hours from receipt in lab

Specimen retention time

RGH	Specimens are retained for 7 days after initial processing
RUH	Specimens are retained for 7 days after initial processing

Other information

Patient history

• Deep wound swabs should be submitted only for infections where anaerobic bacteria play a role (deep abscess, ulcerated lesions, necrotic lesions, soil-contaminated wounds, bite wounds).
• For complicated wound infections and surgical collections, aspirates or tissue biopsies are preferred. This includes diabetic foot infections, osteomyelitis, complicated post-surgical wounds, necrotizing wounds, atypical pathogens or chronic recurrent infections.

Last Updated: September 9, 2025